


forget-me-not

by nonsensicalbelle



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, M/M, bucky has a huge crush on the nerdy little florist, florist!AU, flowers and boys, no one asked for this but here it is, steve is a flower dork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 23:50:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8918413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonsensicalbelle/pseuds/nonsensicalbelle
Summary: Steve works as a florist at Peggy's flower shop and hopes to take over one day. Natalia enlists Clint and Bucky to help out with her events organising business. Naturally, the two teams collide and Steve, for the first time, finds himself distracted from one dream by another.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this was cute and fun to write and weirdly i wrote it whilst watching action films at 3am.  
> i only got home for xmas yesterday and i have been neglecting my writing so here is something. just something. thrown into the void for you to enjoy.  
> flowers and boys to warm you up a little in winter.  
> writing will start again now i have free time - p exciting notion  
> much love to you all, i am exhausted, good night, hope you enjoy!

Steve sneezed again and Peggy chuckled in his direction, not unkindly.

“You know I can hear that, right?” Steve says, sketching the design for the bridal bouquet and tilting his head away from the buds that are lilting out of their vases and making his hayfever flare.

“Whereas, your sneezes are silent?” She snickers from behind the counter on the other side of the shop. Steve snorts but lets her have it, he’s always more sneezy around June time and the flowers are gorgeous but overwhelming. “I told you not to come in today.” She chides but it holds no real heat. They both know Steve needs the money and refuses to stay in bed even when he’s sick let alone when he’s healthy.

“And miss this overbearing bride and her horrible ideas for bouquets?” He snipes and it earns him a hearty laugh.

“She’s just excited, Steve.”

“That’s one word for it.” He mumbles as he tries to find a way to make Chrysanthemums look bridal.

Peggy’s about to go on her break when Natalia walks in, the bell above the door singing to announce her arrival. Today she carries two coffees and one of the donuts that Peggy loves.

“You are my hero,” Peggy gasps and runs over to relieve her of the goodies, hugging her briefly before going to the counter to place the goods down so she can remove her apron.

“Steve, you mind if I take extra for my lunch today and skip my break later?”

“It’s your shop, Pegs,” He laughs good-naturedly waving her off.

“We both know that’s not true.” She winks as she passes him his coffee and he turns scarlet.

The flower shop was passed down to Peggy from her Uncle, a man Steve happened to have made deliveries for since he was a boy. He’d met Peggy once before her Uncle died, when she visited as a child. The second time she came to Brooklyn was for the funeral. It was thanks to this timing that Peggy met her wife Angie – Peggy always said it was his last gift to her, bringing them together.

What she hadn’t counted on was getting the shop. She had to move to Brooklyn anyway to be with Angie as she already ran her own diner, but Peggy had dreamt of police work, public service, really making a difference. Steve had told her he’d run it for her but her Uncle had requested she make sure it kept going after he died and the thought of disregarding his last wish made her feel terribly guilty. Steve helping her had fallen into place naturally, his sketches weren’t enough to support him after his Mother died and his love and knowledge of flowers was a talent Peggy just didn’t have the same level of experience with.

Natalia ran an events company and practically saved their sinking ship by making them her regular business for flowers. Clint was the one who usually came into the store for deliveries and collections, Natalia was a phonecall away and never closer except the odd occasion she chose to drop in and distract them from their work.

“I’m networking, Steve.” Nat said with a smirk, reading his thoughts as usual.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of work going on right now,” He teased, laughing as he sees her steal a swig of his coffee before bringing it over. She winks, presses a kiss to his cheek and saunters out to the join Peggy on the upstairs balcony. He deliberately doesn’t push it, knowing Peggy needs the break. She wouldn’t admit it, but Steve knows she’s unhappy and he knows Natalia is slowly convincing her to consider spending less time in the shop. She’s eligible to some police departments as she’s a permanent resident but continually puts off applying.

Steve is outweighing the Chrysanthemums with pretty Begonias and the occasional splash of cherry blossom he was lucky enough to have in stock when Natalia appears with Peggy in tow. She’s got a skip in her step as she deftly jumps the counter and Peggy looks slightly puzzled.

“Everything okay?” Steve ventures.

“Better than okay – Peggy here is taking next week off,” Nat declares happily.

“You are?” Steve looks to his friend who looks a little bemused.

“I am.” The _apparently_ is left unsaid.

“She and Angie are taking a week in New York, one of my clients fell through and the reservations are non-refundable – someone might as well take advantage of it.”

It sounded a bit too good to be true to Steve.

“Sounds rather too good to be true.” Peggy comments and Steve snorts.

“You deserve a break and Steve is just dying to take the reins for a while,” Nat grins at the two of them and Steve winces at being brought into it. “Think of it like a trial period for you both.” She continues and Peggy send him a soft smile.

“I guess I could relax knowing you’ve got things covered here,” Peggy says and the sway in her voice is all Steve needs to hear to know she really wants a break.

“Of course, besides, we won’t get the summer rush for another two weeks, I’ll be bored stiff.”

“Because you never work too hard,” Nat snarks from the front display. Steve snorts but Peggy’s face falls a little.

“Steve, what if you get ill?”

“Pegs, come on, it’s June,” He goes over to her and places a hand on each shoulder, smiling reassuringly.

“Nat’s right, you work so hard, and our orders are picking up, I can’t leave you to deal with it all alone.”

“You should give Steve more credit, Peggy, he can handle it.” Nat pipes up, spinning to face them, phone in hand and she’s texting without looking which is slightly unsettling.

“You’re right,” Peggy mumbles, running a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry, Steve, you can handle it, I know that. You’re the heart of this place, I just worry about you, that’s all.” She apologises and he hugs her and then goes back to his bouquet.

“It’s just a week, I promise I’ll take good care of the place.”

The girls begin discussing details of transport and check-ins and the moment Angie hears she’s already packing their stuff to everyone’s amusement. Peggy leaves that evening, a Friday and promises to be back next Friday as early as possible. So, when Saturday morning arrives, Steve is practically buzzing with anticipation.

He has the shop for an entire week. As much as he adores getting to work with Peggy, who, along with Sam, he considers his closest friend, the thought of running the flower shop and it being his makes his heart swell. He’s been working at this shop since he was eight years old, he knows more about flowers than he does about people. His Mother always said he could own his own business if he worked hard and followed his heart.

He feels a little childish to get so excited over something he’s done a million times but he can’t help grinning as he opens up shop for the day. Saturday is always his favourite day in shop – more varied clientele and people dropping in by chance. Giving single flowers to young children, families browsing, elderly couples on romantic strolls, or, sadly, an elderly man or woman buying flowers to place on the grave of their late partners. Steve often volunteered to accompany them if they were headed to the cemetery, paying a visit to his Mother who was buried nearby.

He cleans the shop top to bottom, taking extra care with the windows and mopping the floor, taking pride in his work. He checks the register, goes over the accounts, preps for the big wedding order delivery and serves four walk-in customers. Clint isn’t due to pick up the wedding delivery until 5pm so at 4 with nothing to do he takes one flower from each bunch and scatters them around his sketchbook, toying with stems and petals as he sketches, even tucking a forget-me-not behind his ear.

He's so focused in his shading of a petunia he doesn’t register that the bell above the door jingles. Briefly wondering whether he should bring his coloured pencils he startles at a cleared throat. His head snaps up and he’s faced with a tall man whose face is hidden by a huge bunch of peonies with splashes of heather.

“That’s not one of mine,” Steve says without thinking and the face that pops out behind the bunch, smiling with stray petals raining from him, is ridiculously handsome.

“This’ll work for I’m sorry I abandoned you at the family dinner, right?” The stranger chuckles a little bashfully and Steve just stares up at him for a minute, gormlessly.

“Uh, yeah,” He replies eloquently but the stranger nods, relieved. Steve shakes himself a little, determined to act normal, he’s an acting business partner – a professional. “Where did you get that bunch?” He asks and the stranger looks down at it, giving it a little shake and then wincing when more petals fall, smiling apologetically. Steve is utterly charmed. Shit.

“I just picked a few bits up and stuck them together, hope that’s okay. I know what she likes,” He shrugs and Steve’s heart falls a little.

“Your girlfriend?” He goes for nonchalant and feels he pulled it off admirably. He’s less sure when the stranger smirks a little and then shakes his head.

“My sister, Becca. She’s a little less likely to kill me if I give her something pretty and floral,” He’s still smiling and Steve is warming to him more by the second.

“What was so important you abandoned your sister?” Leaning over the counter a little he reaches out and the stranger pauses before laughing with a nod when he realises Steve’s asking permission for the bunch. He takes them and regards the bunch.

“A pizza dog related emergency,” The stranger says absently with a sigh as he leans over the counter to look at Steve’s sketches. Steve chuckles as he turns to remove a few peonies, add some violets and rosemary to lighten the bunch. Something about the phrase sticks in his mind.

“Wait,” He turns quickly. “You know Clint?”

The stranger brightens and then a look of realisation crosses his face.

“Right, sorry, yeah, he sent me to pick up the delivery, Nat needed him somewhere else but they said they wouldn’t forget your order for anything.” He explains and the few strands of dark hair falling across his face are awfully distracting.

“Wait, so Nat, but, it’s only,” He glanced at his watch and his eyes widened when it stared at him reading 5pm.

“I’m a punctual guy.” He grins and Steve feels himself blush, embarrassingly.

“So, you want the order and the bunch?”

“I figure kill two birds with one stone,” The stranger reasons and Steve’s face must change because he’s backpedalling in moments. “Not that I wouldn’t come back, s’a real nice place you’ve got here.” He’s got an apologetic look on his face and Steve smiles and feels a happiness swell up in him when the stranger’s shoulders visibly relax.

“You think?” He indulges himself, enjoying the sensation of someone complimenting what’s his shop, if only for the week.

“Oh yeah, you got your pink ones and your… slightly.. less pink ones,” He winces even as he speaks and Steve snorts.

“I didn’t realise you were a botanist,” He snarks and it earns him an eyeroll and a grin, sending sparks down his spine.

“Right, yeah, didn’t realise you were a comedian.” He leans on his arms over the counter, closer to Steve and the peonies. “Yet here we are.”

“Yeah,” Steve says and it’s a little breathless but he’s very caught up in this moment.

“Well, what are these ones called?” The stranger delicately strokes a pastel petal and the gesture is so quick and quiet it catches Steve off guard for a second.

“Uh, well, these are peonies, symbolise honour and prosperity. Some heather which means good luck. And, uh, I added some violets and rosemary for love and memory.” The stranger regards him in silence. “So, yeah, laying it on pretty thick for a missed dinner, but it looks pretty,” He chuckles and the stranger is looking at him with a distant sort of admiration and bemusement.

“Real pretty,” Is his reply and Steve’s heart kicks up a notch. The stranger seems to shake himself and points to Steve’s left and he turns to see what’s behind him but it’s just the order board. “No, no, _this_ ,” He reaches and touches Steve’s ear for a split-second and Steve represses a shiver. Then he remembers placing the flower behind his ear and scrambles to pull it from his hair, mortified that he’d forgotten he must look like some forest fairy this whole time.

“This,” He lifts it up, feeling his cheeks darken and he clears his throat. “Is a forget-me-not.”

“Mission accomplished.” The stranger says softly with a smile and Steve frowns in confusion.

“What?”

The stranger shakes his head and stands upright.

“I need to get that order or Clint will kill me and then Nat will bring me back and kill me again.” He rubs his hands together and Steve sighs and laughs.

“Yeah, that’s true – you want these wrapped?” There’s still a chance that Steve could appear slightly professional before the guy leaves. That or he could ask for the guy’s name. Peggy would be laughing so hard could she see him floundering.

“Oh, yeah, please,” He asks and Steve sets to work on wrapping the bouquet for his sister as perfectly as he can, adding ribbons and tied string in a bow, the whole nine yards.

“Could I get a little note, card, thing? Lay it on extra thick seeing as I’m grovelling,” He grins self-deprecatingly and Steve rolls his eyes but is secretly thrilled. He should’ve thought of it sooner. The cards they put on bouquets use print paper that leaves a copy of the message on the page underneath it. Steve keeps copies of every message they’ve ever sent with bouquets or orders from ‘I’m sorry’ to ‘Fuck you’ to ‘Please give me back my cat’.

He passes over the print paper to the stranger who doesn’t hesitate in scrawling a long message, smirking to himself and then peeling back the layer of card so Steve can attach it to the stem of one of the flowers. He subtly takes the copy that was left on the counter and tucks it under one of the petunias he was sketching. Giving the bunch a last once over – it’s not the most traditional bunch but it was a delicate charm to it that makes it pleasant to look at and has a definite personal touch. He hands the wrapped bouquet over and the man looks irritatingly dashing with it tucked under his arm.

“So, where’s this bridal order then?”

“Right,” Steve darts around the counter, takes the bouquet from the man and places it back on the surface before beckoning him to follow round the side of the shop. He brings him to a large crate filled with lilac vases and the less than tasteful colour scheme of flowers the bride had insisted on. Seriously, whose favourite flower is a Chrysanthemum?

“These are for a wedding?” The man says, doubt obvious in his voice.

“Uh, yeah,” Steve says hesitatingly. The other man misunderstands and winces.

“Crap, sorry, don’t listen to me, I mean I clearly know everything there is to know about flowers,” He sounds annoyed at himself and Steve laughs.

“No, don’t worry, I actually agree.” The man frowns in question. “Pushy bride.” Steve shrugs in explanation.

“Visually impaired bride?”

“Valued customer.” Steve grins and the other man laughs, a rich, warm sound.

Steve pretends to help carry the huge crate when in fact he’s stunned by the stranger hoisting it up carefully and quickly. Steve holds open the door and the man loads the crate into the van Clint usually drives.

“Sweet ride – ”

“Shut up,” He moans and Steve laughs loudly.

Steve runs back in to get the bouquet for his sister and takes a sneak peek at the message because he’s incredibly unprofessional. He laughs as he reads it.

_Becca, I don’t have life insurance and I saved you from a goat that one time, super sorry I missed dinner. I’ll sit through three romcoms of your choosing but not when harry met sally bc I really would rather die. Forgive your darling big brother – Bucky x_

When he hands the bouquet back over, he smiles knowingly.

“Tell me about the goat, Bucky,”

“Oh God,” Bucky whines with a laugh and buries his face in the flowers which is painfully endearing. “Where’s your professional integrity, flower boy?”

“Flower boy?” Steve repeats incredulously with a laugh. “Really, I didn’t think you’d take it that far.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, did I cross a line?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure how we’ll move past this.”

“If you told me your name, that might help. What do you say, flower boy?” Bucky teases with a grin and Steve pretends to be wounded, grabbing at his heart.

“It’s Steve.” He gestures to himself with a little awkward laugh. “I’m Steve.”

“Steve.” Bucky repeats with a nod like everything makes sense now. “Well, Steve, if there are any more deliveries Clint can’t make, I’ll be happy to drop by and stun you with more flower knowledge, you know, help a newbie.” And Steve barks out a laugh, nodding and crossing his arms.

“Yeah, please do. I’ll remember to take notes next time.”

“Finally, some initiative.” Bucky winks and grins, climbing into the van and waving from the window. “Later, flower boy.”

“Yeah, whatever, fast and furious.” He laughs as Bucky flips him off and drives away.

Walking back into the shop and feeling oddly worn out and the excited kind of dizzy Steve groans at himself.

“I’m so screwed.” 

**Author's Note:**

> aren't they cute?  
> might add more to this and have a chapter for each day that steve is running the shop idk  
> i'll add to it if people enjoy it if not i'll leave it as it is  
> hope it was a nice little piece to read, i'm easing myself back in  
> sorry about the wait and sorry this is super easy but i hope its sweet  
> anyway i'm sleepy and the wifi could abandon me at any moment so thanks for reading pals! b x


End file.
